Wound Care - FAQs

Curious about the patient experience at the Wound Healing and Hyperbaric
Medicine Center? Learn more with our frequently asked questions below:

What will happen during my wound evaluation?

Your wound will be cleaned, examined and measured. After seeing the
physician you will be provided with information on how to care for your
wound. If your wound is located on your lower extremities your feet will be
tested for how much feeling you have and if your blood flow is healthy.
Findings will be discussed with your referring doctor so care is
coordinated appropriately.

What do I need to bring?

Bring your insurance card, a list of medications that you are taking and an
ID card (driver's license in most cases). Also bring any information
regarding the treatment of your wound.

Do I need a referral?

In most cases you do not need a referral unless your insurance dictates
that you do. You can refer yourself. Call the Wound Healing &
Hyperbaric Medicine Center at 410-787-4900 to schedule an appointment.

What about follow-up visits?

You will be seen on a regular basis and each time your wound will be
re-examined for progression towards healing. If tests have been ordered the
doctor will review results and answer any additional questions you have
about caring for your wound.

What are chronic wounds?

A chronic wound is a wound that fails to heal within one month. These
wounds prevent the skin from performing its normal function of protecting
against infection and holding nutrients within the body. Often these wounds
are complicated by one or more chronic illnesses such as diabetes or
atherosclerosis (poor blood flow). Such wounds can affect the whole person
and lead to serious infections of the bone and sometimes of the blood,
resulting in costly treatment, amputation, loss of independence, reduced
quality of life and/or death.

What is soft tissue radiation injury?

Radiation, while effective in the treatment of cancerous tumor cells, is
not selective in the tissue it targets. In other words, while effectively
destroying cancerous tumor cells, radiation can also cause damage to
healthy tissue. This damage can occur anywhere between two weeks to 20
years after treatment. More often than not, there are no symptoms of
radiation injury for at least five years.

What are the symptoms of soft tissue radiation injury?

The symptoms of radiation injury are usually not as visible as typical
chronic wounds. This is because soft tissue radiation damage often begins
in the tissue or bone. Symptoms of radiation injury can be harder to
detect. Your doctor must first rule out other possible causes of these
symptoms because they could be an indication of a different health problem.
Depending on the location of the previous radiation therapy, these symptoms
could include: presence of blood in your urine, rectal bleeding, vaginal
discharge and pain.

Why is oxygen the key to healing?

Until recently, there has been no satisfactory treatment for radiation
damage. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy fills this long-standing need. Radiation
damage causes a lack of oxygen in the body's tissues. Hyperbaric oxygen
helps fight this damage by increasing the amount of oxygen within the
tissues, which aids in recovery. Like any therapy, hyperbaric oxygen is not
a cure-all; however, approximately 60 to 80% of patients will experience
either improvement or complete resolution of soft tissue radiation injury.